The Facebook Messenger team is on an A/B server-side testing spree. It's only a couple of weeks ago that we reported how some users had spotted the app with a new Material Design makeover, but it seems that this wasn't the end of the Material improvements. And that's not even the only modification that's being tested for some users. There's the return or SMS integration and multiple account support too. Here's the breakdown.

Blue Action And Status Bar

Instead of Messenger's white action bar with the blue icons and blue indicator line, a few users have been seeing an inverted color gamut. The action bar is a nice deep blue, the icons and the selector are white. The status bar follows along, becoming blue too.

The below screenshots show the full Material layout with the FAB, but it looks like another variant with Messenger's bottom blue bar is being tested as well. It's anyone's guess which Material layout the Messenger team finally lands on, but it's nice to see it experiment with different iterations to see which one works best for most users.

SMS Integration

That's sure an interesting one. A long, long time ago, Facebook Messenger was a dual client like Hangouts, for both instant messaging and SMS. But then the app got updated and removed the SMS integration because it "just didn't take off." Well, the Messenger team might be dabbling with the idea of bringing SMS back to the app.

At least one user is seeing a new SMS setting pane and has been able to use Messenger as his SMS client. A purple color is adopted as a visual differentiator for SMS messages inside conversations and the text input box shows "Write an SMS message" to remind you that you'll be using regular SMS. In the conversation list, the blue Messenger bubble next to users' photos is replaced by a purple bubble with a regular white envelop.

Our tipster tells us that unfortunately, SMS and Messenger threads from the same user don't get combined like they do in Hangouts. That might be a conscious decision to avoid confusion, or an early alpha missing feature.

Multiple Accounts

And finally, another potential addition to Messenger is multiple account support. I barely use my one and only Facebook account, so I can't fathom how someone can have multiple ones, but I know those people exist. And for them, Messenger might soon offer an Accounts page in settings where they can add more accounts and switch between them.

If you don't see any of these changes, there's nothing you can do to trigger them. They'll either flip magically for you or not.

Whether any of these modifications makes it out to everyone is up in the air. For now, we've only received some sparse tips about each of these features, so it looks like the Messenger team is still in the very early testing phases. The Material redesign looks like it's the more mature feature for now, and thus a candidate for the first option to go live for all users.

Comments

AbbyZFresh

Game over. Messenger is officially the best for me.

ProductFRED

I'm part of the beta and in the Facebook Group for beta users. The material theme was a server-side update, as not everyone got it and it was removed a few days later without any updates. However, they did let us keep the Accounts option in Settings (multiple accounts/accounts switching).

Most importantly, wakelocks and wakeup seem to be under control compared to the stable releases.

ihsan ışık

For the record, I still have the material theme.

ProductFRED

I guess they let some people keep it? I noticed some people woke up to it gone. Then there's people like me who never even got it to begin with.

Craig Nelson

Are you in the alpa or beta version?

ihsan ışık

I have no idea, really. I think I might have signed up for some beta thingy some years ago but not even sure. I'll try to find out.

EDIT: Nope, I'm on stable, apparently. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Krzysztof Bryk

i am in alpha groups for msg and main app and since few months this does not mattet as most of this changes are made server side this days.

ProductFRED

That's weird, because I get a Messenger update almost every day on the Play Store for the beta version.

Craig Nelson

Are you on the alpha version of the build or beta?

ProductFRED

Beta. I don't even know where to sign up for Alpha. I can deal with the Beta builds because they're relatively stable, and actually fix issues quickly. Stable has wakelock/wakeup issues on my 6P, and Beta fixed them.

Marc

I'm sure most of these changes aren't server side, but from the use of participating in the Facebook Messenger beta....

Justtyn Hutcheson

Actually, a lot of these changes could be server-side. Facebook's apps can update any number of things within themselves without a Play Store update. It is part of their rapid iteration and testing infrastructure, and allows them to A/B test with far superior speed and numbers than nearly any other company.
And, since Messenger already requests SMS access on install, it can even activate the SMS code without an update.

Marc

I'm not saying they couldn't be, I'm just saying that I've had the Blue bar at the top for a while now and it's not new.

That's definitely server-side. Many users reported it flipping on without any app update, also given the different layouts seen simultaneously by many users, it's not app-related but a server A/B test.
SMS is too: one tipster (same user, same account) had two different phones, one with SMS and the other didn't show it.
Multiple accounts might be part of the beta though.

Their target API is marshmallow, so on marshmallow it will ask permission for SMS.

David Hyman

I am using the stable build and I see some hybrid of your screenshot (blue top bar) but no FAB. And sadly no SMS. If messenger keeps the chat heads, has SMS and adds direct share support it'll be my default SMS app for sure

Enrique

I'm seeing the blue top bar and FAB when I switch to another account. But with my original account, I get the old design =/

Adam Dominiak

Same here :/ Someone got idea how to get new look?

WikiPanda

They ditch support for SMS long ago in a far away galaxy but they reintroduced it...
I think Facebook is bipolar.

ProductFRED

"We need more personal information about our users. Re-enable it."

Evan Jones

Just checked my Messenger settings and I also now have SMS as an option. Have it enabled, and I'm excited to test it out a bit. Don't have the blue bar in my conversatons, and I'm not apart of the beta. Also have the material redesign with the FAB.

What's with these half-rollouts? My own Messenger has the multiple accounts option, but not material redesign nor the SMS integration. A friend of mine has the material redesign without the FAB, but doesn't have the multiple account option nor SMS integration yet. I actually am part of the beta, she's not though, so it makes it even weirder.

AllPurposeRadio

Wouldn't mind the SMS integration....I seem liking it when they had it before.

Marcelove

About those new expected changes....

Ps: still using FB and Messenger both at version 5.0... Working totally fine... Upgrading it is virtually useless ( better yet is using just FB Lite, and Tinfoil for Facebook is perfect to really minimize the downsides of both apps... )...

varun

I just switched over to using the mobile website - faster, smoother, less bloated and contained.

Of course, Facebook is quickly neutering it to make it less usable - no more video uploads, a new limit of three photos uploads, no longer are links converted to articles - but it still works well as a limited window while on the go.

WORPspeed

They are neutering it? Haven't noticed. Must be because all I use it for is to see what people tag me in and that functionality hasn't changed yet in the mobile browser version

mickeyB88

So THAT'S why the articles aren't getting posted. Was wondering that when only the link was there. The photos thing sucks, but that's just too bad for FB. No way I'm installing that bloated shit on my phone.

MagicMiguel

Tried FB Lite and it is definitely cleaner with a lot less bloat, but it's still way up near the top of the list on battery usage, even if I haven't opened it all day. I'm just sticking with the mobile site considering I hardly use FB anyway.

Did you get it from the Play Store? If the apk was provided by other means (I'm not sure if they do it like WhatsApp), they can do what they want with updates. They don't have to follow Play Store rules. Only the Play Store version needs to be updated via Play Store.

It could be. It happened to me once, but I had it installed from their website, so I thought it updated by itself only if you got it from there. If they are doing it even on the version you can download from the Play Store, it seems like a clear violation.

WikiPanda

my version come from the beta whatapp but are update by the playstore

Vasanth TT

apk?

Adam Dominiak

Do you think I can force this change? (my fake account has it already, main account not really :/)

Ichibanmugen

I bet fb will be able to see all internal messages and save them somewhere to be able to improve their algorithms..

If you're really focused on FB just stick with their web app.

Ben

They already do that if you upload your contacts...

Ichibanmugen

True, that is why I never linked my number with FB in the past. Anyway people seem to love FB and will share their whole life on it and on twitter, instagram etc. what they're eating, where they are etc.

I'll be honest here, I hate FB. Years ago it was ok, but now the only reason I even open the page is that there is one particular person with whom I have no other way of communicating.
I do however share SOME things there. I don't mind uploading a photo, or saying where I studied...my phone number though? - nope. I wouldn't give that to Valve for my Steam account, which costs a fortune these days, there's no way I'll give Facebook of all places my phone number or address.

However, if someone doesn't want any privacy at all, that's also fine, everyone gets to pick...as long as there is a fully opt-out option, I don't mind. (so screw you Windows 10!)

Ichibanmugen

I don't blame you. I've disabled my FB account for almost 2 months now. honestly not missing it at all. You could do the same and contact your friend via email as you need an email account to even have a FB account. :)

damn the poor guy that sent those screenshots in never get's a response, just 'seen'.

Peter Blanco

Honestly I'd use Facebook Messenger exclusively if they brought SMS back and gave it a nice Material update. I don't even like Facebook much, but I communicate through SMS and group chats. Having them together with chat heads would rock.

Pete HJ

Check out Disa. It's been my go to as SMS and FB Messenger can be combined. Nice layout as well

Vantius

I would too. Chat head and SMS would be killer. Also, my main chat methods are SMS and FB Messenger.

They need to make SMS relay from the browser work if they want people to use this. If I can see all my fb messages and SMS in both the Android app and at messenger.com on my desktop, I'm in. Then I can finally dump Hangouts and all the frustration that has come with it.

If this happened.... I'd have a reason to ditch MightyText for good. I'm a fan of consolidating things into a few apps as possible. If Messenger could handle my SMS, MMS and chat messages as well as show them in the web interface, that's 3 different apps combined into one :)

Alex Blanksby

As long as I don't get charged 5c/text using Messenger like I did when it was around last time, all is fine.

The rollouts to my own Messenger app have been quite odd. I didn't get the FAB Material UI update nor the SMS integration, but multiple account support I did get, and that one apparently came out with the new SMS integration, and after reports of the FAB Material so it's odd that it didn't include these in my client. I'm signed up for the beta, too.

I recently Factory Reset my Nexus 6 and after restoring the app, I suddenly had the Material Design UI, but no FAB whatsoever. Still no SMS integration, but multiple account support is there.

jamez243

I love this. So excited they are bringing it bac. Chat heads for SMS.. yes please!